


Exes and Ohs

by CallipygianGoldfish



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Meetings, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-05
Updated: 2016-02-05
Packaged: 2018-05-18 10:42:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5925517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CallipygianGoldfish/pseuds/CallipygianGoldfish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Finn's life is quite normal, thank you very much. It's got all the necessary things; a sarcastic best friend, some variable customer relations skills, and occasional griping about his lack of a love life. At least, that's before a stranger barges in on his shift and demands that Finn hides him from his evil, evil ex.</p><p>His life might just be becoming a romantic-comedy without his knowledge, but he doesn't really mind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Exes and Ohs

**Author's Note:**

> I'd apologize for all the recent shop/cafe storylines, but what can l say, I'm a sucker for making retail seem romantic :D I'm afraid I've seen this idea somewhere before, either as a prompt on tumblr or another fic that I can't remember, so if you know where the idea of 'my ex appeared and I need somewhere to hide help me' comes from, please feel free to tell me and I'll credit the inventor :)  
> Edit: The idea might have come originally from 'National Treasure', but if there's a specific fic somewhere which sparked it, let me know :)

On the whole, Finn likes to think that he's not a man who gets sidetracked very easily. Sure, there may have been a few instances where he's poured coffee into saucers, or forgotten a teabag, but generally he's very good at his job.

 _The Falcon_ is the type of place where both hipsters and 80 year old grandmothers can come and have a cup of tea. It's a bit unusual, sure, but if you want a quick takeaway, Starbucks is only a few minutes away. Finn likes it; he tries to be attentive, he's relatively nice to customers, and he thinks he's at least better equipped at dealing with crazy than Rey, who generally just stares at the person in question then tells them to get the hell out of her teashop. At least Finn gives them a loyalty card to take with them.

However, he might need to reevaluate his world views when he finds himself extremely distracted by one morning's events. Or rather, one certain person.

It's a warm spring day and there's only a couple of tables occupied, while Finn is at the counter with Rey finishing up some orders. He notices the man at first as the guy half-jogs past the front windows of the shop, looking over his shoulder. Only for a second, Finn looks down to concentrate on the drink he's making, when he looks up and the man is suddenly in his face. 

Finn only has enough time to blink before the other guy places two hands on the counter and jumps over it, tucking himself in neatly beside Finn and casting a harried look behind him. The stranger pants, pressing his back to the shelves under the counter, while Rey and Finn stare at him.

“Hey man,” Finn says for the lack of anything else to say. “Can I, you know, help you?” The man doesn't answer for a few seconds, before craning his neck to look up at the board above.

“Ah, can I have, have, a, uh...” The guy trails off and checks towards the door again, before turning quickly back. “Fuck! Can I have a thingie?”

“A miracle?” Rey looks at him scathingly. “Because you're going to need one if you don't explain what you're doing behind my counter in exactly three seconds.”

“A favor! A favor, just a favor? Not much,” the man says quickly, holding up his hands. “Please? I just need to stay here for a bit?” He looks at Finn, and goddammit, the guy's got the best puppy eyes Finn's ever seen, and despite his more sensible thoughts, Finn finds himself considering the guy's request.

“Why? Being chased by evil aliens? Finally seen your granny naked and you're running from the consequences?”

“No! I kinda saw my ex, and it's all a bit awkward, I owe them some CDs and I'm pretty sure they still want to skin me alive for accidentally putting their socks through the paper shredder.” The man winces and looks up at Finn through his eyelashes. “I won't be a pain, promise.”

“Accidentally?” Finn can't quite believe he's listening to this. “How the hell do you accidentally shred someone's socks?” More to the point, how do you even _purposefully_ shred a sock?

“It's a long story.” The guy purses his lips, and the slightly panicked look abides as he takes a glance around the shop. “Sorry, you know, about all this. This seems a pretty cool place, I think I go by here sometimes. I'm Poe, by the way Poe Dameron.”

“Yeah, great, and could you please also be out the way?” Rey tuts and kicks him gently as she passes by to take a tray over to a table, ladened with cups, teapots, and coffee.

“Sorry,” Poe winces. “Not earning any brownie points here, am I?”

“Not really.” Finn can't help smiling, and he finishes making the latte that Poe had interrupted him in the middle of. “I'm Finn, and that's Rey. Chewie's sometimes around, but he normally disappears when the morning rush dies down,” he says as the steamer stops making the horrible dying noise it usually makes when under the protest of being used.

“Nice to meet you, Finn,” Poe smiles at him in response, and there goes Finn's will to act like a sane man. Not that he had much will to begin with, but he's acutely aware of how close Poe is to his legs. He doesn't suppose for one moment that Poe's even remotely available, but that doesn't mean Finn can't appreciate the man. He realizes the man in question is actually still talking, and tries to focus again.

“…and I mean, I didn't even want the damn painting. I only wanted to keep Bee-Bee,” Poe says morosely as he settles his butt back on the floor after Rey returns. “I don't suppose either of you could tell me if he's gone?”

“He?” Rey asks, suddenly interested.

“Yes he, the gays are in residence you know.” A roll of the eyes, then Poe focuses on them both. “You're not like, going to throw me to the wolves are you, because he's a he?”

“Don't worry, I'm well aware of the existence of the once-mythical gays,” Rey smiles sweetly and links Finn by the elbow. “Actually I was just thinking of Finn here.”

“Oh for god's sake,” Finn groans at her. “Seriously?”

“Yeah, it's been quite tragic, he's only recently escaped the clutches of the White Witch and left Narnia behind for good,” Rey sighs and turns to look off into the distance, as if lost in a memory. “So tragic.”

“Knock it off, Rey, for the last time stop with the closet jokes.” Gritting his teeth, Finn hisses at her out the corner of his mouth. He loves her like a sister, but oh wow, now is not a good time for her to start spouting anything wardrobe related.

Poe looks at them, obviously slightly bewildered. “Okay then, whatever you say. Lovely as this is, has he gone yet?”

“What does he look like?” asks Finn, resigned to being a source of great amusement for Rey in the immediate future.

“Uh tall, probably dressed all in white, weird hair?” Poe shuffles around underneath to talk to Poe's kneecaps. “Looks kinda military, like he's going to make you run at five am to, and I quote here, 'get that ass in shape'. I'm a pilot, I'm already in shape, and my ass is perfect, but apparently no.”

“'Kay,” Finn says, trying to ignore the image in his head of Poe's ass and instead look for anyone who matches the description. And sure enough, a figure in a white suit is sitting at one of the outside tables, no drink in hand but quite obviously scanning the high street.

“Your boy's got some real money then?” Finn whistles in appreciation. “I'm pretty sure that's actual Dolce and Gabbana, am I right?”

“Not my boy. And definitely Dolce.” Risking a look over the counter, Poe's head pops up just enough to see past the coffee pots. It's quite a struggle for Finn to resist patting Poe's curls, but he manages it, instead only telling him to move over. Poe retreats back down and raises an eyebrow at Finn.

“You're sitting on my milk jugs.” Finn says as an explanation.

“And there's a mental image I never knew I didn't want,” Rey shoves past both of them again to dump a tray of dirty saucers. “You planning to actually work today, or what?”

“I'm doing it, I'm doing it,” Finn says hastily, as Rey eyes them both, then pulls Finn over to have a word.

“He can stay until he's gone,” she nods towards the door, “but at least get his number, idiot.”

Finn smiles weakly as she goes to take another order. “Of course. You know, numbers. Those things people get. So easy.” Gulping, Finn starts setting up the next tea tray as Poe looks on.

“I thought this was a coffee shop?” he asks as Finn grabs a teapot. 

“Tea room. Room, meaning we do pretty much most things. I can get you a coffee if you want though?”

“Nah, I'm fine buddy. Thanks anyway.” Poe shakes his head. “Actually, I think I might be here a while, anything I can do?”

“Not much, hand me things when I ask?” Finn's quite proud of the way he doesn't voice all the innuendos in his head.

“I can do that. Wanna milk jug?”

“Maybe in a minute. Although a ramekin would be helpful,” he tells Poe as he stretches a hand out. Poe looks at it and tilts his head at it.

“I'm sorry?”

“Ramekin please, pass me one. You know, those small china things that jam goes in?”

“Oh yeah, those.” He roots around on the shelf and finally finds some. “At least you don't make unreasonable demands of me.”

“How so?”

“Ramekins, I can do. Coffee, tea, that's great. Let's get married for the politics and move to Scotland? Not really my thing, despite the apparent epic castle your extremely rich family has,” Poe moans as he passes Finn the ramekin. “I mean, like, why am I the one that picks the strange guys? Weird traditions, all those repressed issues, and god forbid if you own anything other than white. He wouldn't even let me see Bee-Bee until I took matters into my own hands. You don't think it's weird I didn't want to get married as someone else’s power move, right?” Poe says it like it's obviously crazy, but something tells Finn he's still looking for assurance.

“Uh, no?” Finn supplies with a sideways glance, then decides to change the subject fast. “Who's Bee-Bee then?” Knowing Finn's luck, Poe's the guy with three kids, a loving husband and a crazy ex, but talking about something else is the only way to stop himself declaring that _he'd_ be a good partner choice and probably not force him to move to Scotland.

“Oh, our gerbil,” Poe answers idly. “Short for Baby-Boy, but I call him Bee-Bee because Baby-Boy is a stupid name.”

“So let me get this straight. You basically stole this man's discs, shredded his socks, kidnapped his gerbil and you're still the damsel in distress?” Finn can hardly repress his grin as Poe avoids eye contact with him. “Bit unexpected, but okay.”

“Our gerbil, it was _our_ gerbil. And he likes me better.” Poe says, almost petulantly as he pokes his head around the corner to check if the coast is clear for himself. “I can't see him, you?”

A quick look confirms what Poe said. “He's gone. Walked off down towards the corner, you might want to turn left when you leave,” Finn says, trying to convince himself he's not disappointed. 

“Thank god. Bee-Bee's safe, and it's all down to you,” Poe grasps Finn by the shoulders and grins as Rey indignantly shouts over. “Oh, okay and you too, Rey, wasn't it? Thanks to you two, Bee-Bee will forever live in peace, unhindered by creepy exes and nowhere near the barren lands of Scotland.” Poe sniffs and wipes an imaginary tear from his eye. “It's all very moving.”

“You sure that's Bee-Bee who's gonna be safe?” Finn asks, smiling despite Rey's eyeroll at Poe's theatrics.

“Oh definitely. Me too though kid, thanks for rescuing me. You're my savior.” Poe reaches up to place his hands around both sides of Finn's head, and stretches to plant a quick kiss on his forehead. Then he turns and does the exact same thing to Rey, before sidling out from behind the counter and vanishing out of the shop into the street.

“Did that...” Finn looks at Rey in bewilderment.

“Yep,” she replies. “That happened.”

“Well.”

“Stop mooning, Finn, he's gone.”

“I'm not mooning! I'm uh, vaguely distracted.”

“Okay honey, you call it that.” 

“I'm just happy to have been of help, y'know? Being nice.” 

“That's not all you'd be happy to do.” Rey elbows him and leers as Finn shakes his head and tries to concentrate on not scalding himself.

*

“Hey Finn, he's back.”

“Hmm?” Finn doesn't look up from the chamomile he's making when Rey passes by. It's been a gray but busy morning, and her words pass right through him, until he registers them with a start. “What? Who? Him? As in Poe?”

Rey rolls her eyes. “You would remember his name, wouldn't you, even after a week. And yeah, end of the line.”

“Oh lord.” Finn's mind seems to snap into focus as a familiar figure pokes his head around the woman in front of him and nods with a smirk at Finn. His heart seems to have sped up, and he smiles lopsidedly back. The lady in front of Finn repeats her cappuccino order even louder than the first time, and he nods hastily and scribbles it down.

A minute later when Rey tells him to stop staring creepily, Finn finds himself slowly creeping backwards and into the small space hidden by the upstairs steps. He's literally hiding under the stairs, next to the sink, and he decides that it's an excellent place to stay for the next half hour or so.

“What do I do, oh god, what am I going to do,” he says to a teacup on the drainer, while silently panicking. The normal thing would be to go out there and act like Poe's just another customer, but somehow his legs won't obey him. 

In a flurry, Rey appears in front of him and Finn blinks at her.

“Hey.” He grabs the teacup he's been speaking to. “I was just, uh, looking for this?”

“No you weren't. Get out before I drag your ass over there,” Rey hisses at him under her breath. “Now.”

“I uh, don't think that would be a good idea,” Finn says quickly.

“Oh yeah? Because I've had to leave Chewie out there to get orders out, god help me, and from where I'm standing it looks like you're avoiding a guy who last week clearly checked your ass out.” Rey raises her eyebrows at him.

“Really?” The word is out his mouth before he thinks about it. “Oh! I mean, ah, you really don't mind?”

“What?” Rey looks at him like there are a million and one other things she'd rather be doing right now.

“Me. Trying to pick up guys. In your shop.” Finn tries to tell himself he's not looking for excuses to not to go out there and face Poe like a normal person. But he really is. This isn't what he does, he's not the suave hero he reads about in fantasy novels, and he certainly doesn't have the guts to walk out there and pretend he's not attracted in any way to Poe Dameron. Fuck it, he's screwed.

Rey sighs. “Finn, I've known you're gay since the day we met, and hoping for something like this since you declared very loudly that you wanted to marry Chris Evans,” she comments as she reaches round him for a saucer. “Now, if you don't remember to get Poe's number this time, I'm going to stick spoons through both your eyes. Go.”

“Ouch.” Finn blanches at the thought. “Uh, one thing though, we were eight when we met?”

“I was a very astute eight year old.” Rey says flatly. “Are you going willingly out there or do I have to drag you?”

“Willingly! Very willingly.” With a quick pat down of his apron, Finn puts his best smile on and turns to leave the sink, before Rey stops him with an arm.

“No. Take that look off your face, you look constipated.”

“What? This _is_ my face, what else am I meant to look like?” It's not like he has another, Finn thinks frantically to himself.

“You're not meant to look like this is a chore. Normal smile, Finn, normal smile.” With one last pat on the shoulder, Rey goes past him and continues with the queue of customers waiting. Finn resigns himself to the fact that this isn't going to end well, and walks out of the alcove under the stairs. 

A glance over the line shows Poe is near to the front, and as Finn heads over he moves to number one in the queue. He catches Poe's eye, and Finn forgets how to speak for a while. There's a pause, then Finn thankfully finds his voice.

“Back for the tea, or need another rescue?” He berates himself for the great start, internally smashing his head against a large brick wall. “Hi Poe, how're you?”

“Hey Finn.” Poe nods at him. “I'm good thanks, you?”

“Same.” Out the corner of his eye, he sees Rey give him some violent jerking motions with her hands. He decides to ignore her, scared of whether she's threatening to murder him, out him to Poe, or shove that spoon somewhere the sun doesn't shine. “So, what can I help you with?”

“Latte, please. Or Earl Grey? What do you recommend?” Poe fiddles with a bottle of syrup on the counter, and Finn watches as it slips from his fingers and rolls towards him. “Oh shit! Sorry, sorry, god I'm glad that didn't break.” The bottle retrieved, Poe sets it back carefully and edges away from it. Finn just snorts.

“Does it to me every time, that one's a bastard. And for a morning like this? Earl Grey, every time. Takeaway or drink in?” Finn's already reaching for the tin while Poe nods.

“Thanks. And takeaway please, got a training session later. But seriously, I don't think you could knock things over more than me though, I'm like a walking wobbly pile of Jenga.” Poe frowns, then shakes his head. “I did not mean to say that.”

“Hah, well, you don't look it. That'll be two dollars then, unless there's anything else?” Finn asks.

“Yeah, the thing is, I kinda forgot something last time,” says Poe, almost sheepishly as he passes over the money. “See, I was a bit too focused on not being murdered by my gerbil stealing ex, so it totally slipped my mind to ask you something.”

“Oh yeah, how's Bee-Bee?”

“Bee's fine, thanks. He thanks you for saving my ass and letting his food provider live,” Poe says, leaning on the counter as Finn gets his tea ready. Finn glances behind Poe, but thankfully there's no one else waiting, so he takes his time with the tea, letting the leaves brew before he strains it through. He also gets the chance to glance over Poe, who manages to look equally as gorgeous and windswept as when Finn last saw him. The takeaway cups suddenly become very interesting to Finn as he realizes he's been staring at Poe in silence.

“Glad to hear it. Couldn't let you get interrogated by the evil men in white,” Finn nods, eyes narrowed and staring into the distance as if he's recounting an old campfire tale. “I remember it well, they came for you all at once, you were helpless due to the ancient enchantments. And I, the knight in shining armor, defended you from them all with but a blade of iron. Forged in a dwarf star, of course.”

“More like you saved me from the dragon.” Poe looks amused. “I promise I'm not normally in need of such dramatic rescuing.”

“Shame, I was starting to like it.” Finn can't help smiling back at Poe; his amusement is almost infectious, curls falling above his eyes and oh god, Finn feels like he's becoming a teenager again. 

“Yeah?” Poe says. “I don't think there's any more dragons today, but maybe you could help me with something else.”

“Sure, whatever you want.”

“Your friend left some not-so-subtle hints as to your interests, so I'm hoping I'm not going to get punched for this, but I sort of like you, so...” Poe trails off, biting his lip. “So. Wanna get a drink or something later? As like, a date?”

“Oh.” Finn can't stop his mouth hanging open. He has a faint suspicion he looks like a gormless guppy, but he can't find the brainpower to close it. “Wow. Okay.”

Poe tilts his head. “Is that an okay-that's-cool-go-away, or an okay-I-think-that's-good sort of okay?”

“Give me a sec.” Finn says, thinking it through. “That's an okay, definitely good sort of okay, wanna go out sometime?”

A smile breaks out on Poe's face. “Great! You free this weekend?”

“For you? Of course.” Finn nods, then realizes what he's said. “Oh god, kill me now, I'm becoming a rom-com heroine. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but dammit that's cheesy.”

“Not at all.” Laughing, Poe takes out his phone and scribbles his number down on the back of a receipt. “Let me know when you're free, and what you want to do, and I'll get back to you.”

“Sure. I like you too, did I say that?”

Poe just keeps grinning, and his eyes flick over Finn's face, focusing on his mouth. “Ah no, you didn't, but that sounds good. Keep going.” With a quick glance to the side, Poe hooks a finger into the top of Finn's apron and pulls him gently over the counter towards him, noses almost touching. “Anything else you'd like to say?”

“Nope,” Finn gets out as his brain short-circuits. “I'm fine.”

“Brilliant.” Poe's eyes flick towards Finn's mouth, and he gives Finn another tug closer before softly pressing his lips against Finn's. They're soft, warm and so enticing, and Finn finds himself leaning closer to angle himself against Poe. Breaking apart after a few moments, Finn finds himself staring at Poe's eyelashes as the man in question blinks and gives Finn a soft smile.

“So.” Poe says, taking a shaky breath. “I'll see you later then?”

“Uh huh.” Finn nods, trying to school his face into a more respectable look than the big grin he's got instead. “I'll uh, text you. Definitely.”

“Thanks, Finn. Have a great day, and thanks again for the tea.” With one last pat on the arm, Poe raises his cup in a mock salute and leaves _The Falcon_ , Finn staring after him.

Oh yes, today is indeed going to be a great day. And Rey's going to be insufferable, but he'll gladly bear it, because he has a date. The weekend suddenly seems a very long way away.

**Author's Note:**

> First time writing this lovely pair, so I have almost no Star Wars knowledge, only enthusiasm :D Thank you for reading, come visit me on tumblr? callipygiangoldfish.tumblr.com


End file.
